Standardization is one of those ideas that, once you see it, you can't unsee it. It's a mental model that can explain, at least in part, many of our social, political, and personal challenges. Whether it's the clothes we wear, the language we use, the dates we go on, or the people we vote for, our choices are often unknowingly constrained by standardization.

In this episode, an update of an essay I originally released for premium subscribers back in November 2023, I explore the role that standardization has played in our economic development, our relationships, and even our identities.

Footnotes:

• Read the essay version of this episode
• "Butt Stuff" on RadioLab
• Doppelganger by Naomi Klein
• "Generation Why?" by Zadie Smith, The New York Review
• "The Bizarre History of Women's Clothing Sizes" by Laura Stampler, Time

• (00:00) - EP 490: Standardize This